Getting Older Happens To Everyone

One of the main characters is reflecting on old age and thinks "His grip on the world was loosening. It belonged to the young people now. ... He did not mind growing old. It was foolish to mind growing old. It happened to everyone. But that did not make it painless."

The other characters reflect on their own predicaments as well as those of their family members. They make assumptions, often false. The young make the mistakes that the old made earlier. The adult children are surprised when roles change.

Neatly Wrapped-Up Ending?

There was a point in the book where it seemed as if everything was going to work out well, sort of like a fairy tale, happily ever after. I was a little concerned. Was the author letting me down?

Oh, no, not at all. There was more than just a spot of bother in this novel. And that made it a great read.

Author Bio:

Mary Wilmes, Library Assistant at Half Moon Library, has lived in Half Moon Bay since 2000, raising a child, chickens, and home-made bread. She enjoys finding unusual books as well as knitting, learning Spanish, and playing guitar and piano when she is not reading non-fiction (history, science, medicine, autobiography, and fashion) and fiction.